My Nepenthe

Chapter 29

Omkara was working on a sculpture when the knock sounded on his door.

"Gauri come in," he said and continued with his thing.

"It is not your wife devar ji, it is me," Anika told him as he entered the room.

"Oh," Omkara turned with a smile which soon turned to confusion when he saw her going straight to Gauri's cupboard.

"What do you want Bhabhi?"

"Nothing, you carry on," she said as she searched.

"Is Gauri in your room?"

"We are getting ready for the pooja."

"We?"

"All the ladies of the house."

"Oh, she won't come here till then?"

"Yup," she said with a huge smile.

"You remember that engagement function we both had together? After that Gauri and me never really got time like this. Now that we are together, I am so excited."

Omkara smiled at his sister-in-law's excitement but couldn't help the guilt that seeped in with the memory of the day when he insulted his wife to his heart's content.

Kuch bhi karo.... zeher khaa ke mar jao..I don't care....

He asked her to die but not to get her name in the Oberoi kulgotr patri.

"Get ready to be swept off your feet," she said before turning back to the cupboard to pull out some of Gauri's stuff.

"She won't come here to get ready?"

"That is what I said Om."

"When is the pooja?"

"In the evening."

"Then why won't she come here now? We just had lunch. I mean you surely wouldn't be taking that long to get ready."

Anika turned and raised an eyebrow at him.

"What happened Om? Itna mare jaa raho ho uske liye.. huuh?" she teased.

"Tsk tsk, mare nahi jaa raha huun bhaabhi, I was just asking out of curiosity that it shouldn't take that long."

"Haa haa.. tell that to yourself. Okay, I got what I wanted. I will go and inform Gauri that you are missing her. Maybe daadi will let her go for a while," she said closing the cupboard.

"No, that is not needed. You guys enjoy," he said and the latter laughed before she walked out of his room.

Omkara stared at the door for a minute before he returned to his earlier work. His mind however lost the interest and he numbly stared at the chisel.

After doing everything in the world to hurt her, you were forgiven without taunt. Now since you crave for her, you decided to ravish her a few hours ago. What were you thinking Omkara?.... his brain scolded him.

I would try my best not to hurt her again... he tried to reason.

She didn't get a proper proposal, not even a happy wedding. At the least, she deserves a proper wedding night... is heart told him.

Right, and she will have it... he told himself in determination.

For the first time in many months, his heart and brain agreed on a common point.

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"Daadi ji, ye sab..."